Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (Gerald Thomas, 1966) - Trailer - YouTube Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (Gerald Thomas, 1966) - Trailer Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. The interactive transcript could not be loaded. Loading... Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Nov 20, 2014 Don't Lose Your Head is the thirteenth in the series of Carry On films to be made (and one of only two not to have "Carry On" in the original title). It features regular team members Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims. French actress Dany Robin makes her only Carry on appearance in Don't Lose Your Head. It was released in 1966. Set in France and England in 1789 during the French revolution, it is a parody of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Category Instant Video Play: Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (Gerald Thomas, 1966) - Trailer Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (Gerald Thomas, 1966) - Trailer Details Carry On Don't Lose Your Head (Gerald Thomas, 1966) - Trailer Don't Lose Your Head is the thirteenth in the series of Carry On films to be made (and one of only two not to have "Carry On" in the original title). It features regular team members Sid James, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale, Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims. French actress Dany Robin makes her only Carry on appearance in Don't Lose Your Head. It was released in 1966. Set in France and England in 1789 during the French revolution, it is a parody of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel. Dany Robin - a photo on Flickriver Dany Robin French postcard by Imp. De Marchi Frères, Marseille.

French actress Dany Robin (1927-1995) was the pert, delicate-looking star in comedies and melodramas of the late 1940s till the late 1960s. The blonde dish with the piled-high hairdo was a one-time threat to the sexy, kittenish Brigitte Bardot. Dany Robin was born Danielle Robin in Clamart near Paris, France, in 1927. Robin trained as a ballerina as a child and eventually made her way to the Opera de Paris under Roland Petit. At age 19, however, she opted for a film career. Studying at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique in Paris, she made her screen debut in the melodrama Lunegarde (1946, Marc Allégret) with Gaby Morlay. She worked for such legendary directors as Marcel Carné in Les portes de la nuit/Gates of the Night (1946), and René Clair in Le silence est d'or/Man About Town (1947) opposite French sensation Maurice Chevalier. The latter film was her first real break.

She grew quickly in popularity as a sensual but virginal heroine of light, fluffy comedies as Six heures à perdre/Six Hours to Lose (1946, Alex Joffé, Jean Lévitte), L'éventail/Naughty Martine (1947, Emil E. Reinert), and the melodrama Les amoureux sont seuls au monde/Monelle (1948, Henri Decoin) with Louis Jouvet. The romance Six heures à perdre had also featured the young Louis de Funés, and he and Robin would team up again in the comedies Elle et moi/She and Me (1952, Guy Lefranc), and Frou-Frou/The Toy Wife (1955, Augusto Genina). Other popular films were La fête à Henriette/Henriette (1952, Julien Duvivier), a Pirandellian comedy about the art of filmmaking. and Les dragueurs/The Chasers (1959, Jean-Pierre Mocky).

Although she was a popular star, journalists awarded her twice (in 1953 and 1954) the Lemon Prize, as the nastiest French actress. Though most of her films were produced in France, Dany Robin also worked internationally. The lithe and luscious actress was the female lead opposite Kirk Douglas in the Hollywood production Act of Love (1953, Anatole Litvak), a bittersweet love story about the star-crossed relationship between a World War II GI and a young Parisian during the Allied liberation of Paris. She performed with Peter Sellers in the British sex comedy Waltz of the Toreadors (1962, John Guillermin), and she co-starred with Connie Francis and Paula Prentiss in Follow the Boys (1963, Richard Thorpe). In Great Britain she appeared in the thirteenth Carry On film, Don't Lose Your Head (often Carry On Don't Lose Your Head) (1966, Gerald Thomas). Set in France and England in 1789 during the French revolution, it is a parody of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Carry on-regular Sid James is the Black Fingernail, a rip-off Scarlet Pimpernel using double entendres and a wide variety of disguises. Robin’s last leading role was Nicole Devereaux, the wife a French secret agent (Frederick Stafford) in Alfred Hitchcock's thriller Topaz (1969). Dany Robin was married to fellow actor Georges Marchal from 1951 till 1969. They had two children: Frédérique and Robin. In 1969. she married the Irish producer/agent Michael Sullivan and retired. Both died tragically during a fire in their apartment in Paris in 1995. Robin was 68. Sources: Hal Erickson (AllMovie), Caroline Hanotte (CinéArtistes – French), Gary Brumburgh (IMDb), Wikipedia, and IMDb. © All Rights Reserved Carry On Blogging!: Carry On Faces of 1966 Saturday, 13 February 2016 Carry On Faces of 1966 This is part of a new series of blogs on Carry On Blogging.

I plan to blog each year of Carry On, featuring photos of the most prolific actors for each year. Hopefully it will provide an interesting overview of the changing face of Carry On during the series' original mammoth twenty year run. It will turn the spotlight on the familiar faces who endured over the decades as well as those artists who came and went along the way. We are continuing today with 1966. Two films were made that year: Carry On Screaming in January and February and Don't Lose Your Head, the first Rank Carry On, in the Autumn. Pictured above we have the most prolific actors to appear in 1966.

They are as follows: Kenneth Williams as Orlando Watt in Screaming; Joan Sims as Madame Desiree in Don't Lose Your Head; Jim Dale pictured above as Albert Potter in Screaming; Charles Hawtrey as the Duc de Pommfrit in Don't Lose Your Head; Peter Butterworth as Slobotham in Screaming; Fenella Fielding pictured as Valeria Watt in Screaming; Sidney James as The Black Fingernail/Sir Rodney Ffing in Don't Lose Your Head; Dany Robin as Jacqueline in Don't Lose Your Head and finally, Harry H Corbett as Sidney Bung in Screaming. Of those featured above, only two actors (Williams and Hawtrey) were original cast members from the very first film, Carry On Sergeant in 1958. Williams, Sims, Hawtrey, Dale and Butterworth appeared in both films produced in 1966. Harry H Corbett, famous for his television role in Steptoe and Son joined the cast of Carry On Screaming to replace an absent Sid James. Fenella Fielding returned to Carry On for her starring role in Screaming.

Fielding had previously completed a cameo role as Penny Panting in Carry On Regardless, released in 1961. French actress Dany Robin was cast as Sid's love interest in Don't Lose Your Head. While this was Robin's sole Carry On appearance, she did end up marrying Sid's agent Michael Sullivan after meeting him on this film. Stay tuned for the Carry On Faces of 1967 coming up soon! You can follow me on Twitter @CarryOnJoan and also on Facebook Posted by Don't Lose Your Head (Film) - TV Tropes Don't Lose Your Head You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share Film / Don't Lose Your Head × "This could never have happened before the revolution!" — Citizen Camembert Don't Lose Your Head is a 1966 movie that is the thirteenth installment of the British Carry On film series. It stars series regulars Sid James , Joan Sims , Kenneth Williams , Peter Butterworth , Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale , along with popular French actress Dany Robin and recurring Carry On member Peter Gilmore.

This film is set in the time of the The French Revolution with allusions to The Scarlet Pimpernel , making this the second film in the series to be an Affectionate Parody that features a lot of Anachronism Stew . The execution of the French aristocrats is going strong under the watchful eye of the smug police chief Citizen Camembert (Williams) and his sidekick Citizen Bidet (Butterworth), until the British merchant Sir Rodney Ffing (James) — calling himself The Black Fingernail — and his sidekick Lord Darcy (Dale) rescue the eccentric Duke de Pommfrit (Hawtrey) from the guillotine. After being threatened by his superior Citizen Robespierre (Gilmore), Camembert goes undercover with Bidet and his close friend Desiree (Sims) to find the true identity of the Black Fingernail who's been rescuing the rich from their executions. To their delight, they discover a beautiful young woman named Jacqueline (Robin), who has encountered with the villain and was given a locket with his mother's teeth inside as a token of his love for her. Hilarity Ensues .

Tropes appearing in this film: Abhorrent Admirer : Pommfrit is this to Desiree, and it seems that Desiree herself is this to Sir Rodney. Ironically, in the former case, the two end up married in the final scene. Amusing Injuries : In Calais, Bidet shuts the carriage door in Camembert's face . Later, Pommfrit banging Camembert's finger with a hammer at Ffing House. Followed by Corpsing from Sir Rodney and Darcy. And I'm the Queen of Sheba : Sir Rodney tricks Bidet into thinking Camembert is the Black Fingernail in disguise. When Camembert protests that he's the real thing, Bidet replies "And I'm Madame de Pompadour!" Aren't You Going to Ravish Me? : After the window Sir Rodney has entered through turns out to belong to Désirée Dubarry's boudoir: Sir Rodney (Black Fingernail): Now, don't start screaming, please. Désirée Dubarry: Why, what are you going to do to me? Sir Rodney (Black Fingernail): Nothing!

Désirée Dubarry: Well, that settles it. [screams] Artistic License ï¿½ History : The aristocrats are all executed facing upwards towards the blade (understandably, since there are quite a lot of conversations had while they're waiting for the blade to drop). In real life they were executed facing down into the basket. The only person who was executed facing up was the real-life Robespierre. Asshole Victim : Camembert and Bidet (though Camembert is the bigger asshole of the two) getting their comeuppance at the end. Robespierre is this to Camembert, as he threatens to have Camembert sent to the guillotine if he fails to capture the Black Fingernail. Camembert himself is often this to Bidet, frequently belittling him and sometimes physically attacking him. Banister Slide : Sir Rodney during the climactic fight. It gives him a Groin Attack because of how the banister curves up at the end. Big Bad : Robespierre is this.

Camembert may be the main antagonist, but he reports to Robespierre, who is responsible for the Great Revolution in the first place and orders Camembert to capture the Black Fingernail. Big Fancy House : Ffing House. It has enough space to fit hundreds of French aristocrat refugees. The Chateau Neuf turns out to have belonged to one of Camembert's aristocratic victims, who he purloined it from and now owns himself. Big "WHAT?!" : Camembert after Bidet tells him that the insurance salesman and Pommfrit have escaped from the square. Seconds later, Camembert realizes the insurance salesman was the Black Fingernail after spotting his calling card. Bilingual Bonus Jacqueline is imprisoned in Chateau Neuf in order for the Black Fingernail to be trapped by the police. Translated into English, "Chateau Neuf" is "Castle Nine", or "the ninth castle", so what happened to the other eight? Maybe the police burned them all down to get the aristocrats out.

Determined to make sure that Pommfrit faces the guillotine, Camembert threatens that "the 'frit will meet his chips." Although obviously shortening Pommfrit's name, the French word "frites" is "chips" in English, so this is basically a Department of Redundancy Department . Blatant Lies : Camembert saying he wasn't fooled by the Black Fingernail after he posed as an insurance salesman to rescue the Duc de Pommfrit when he quite obviously was. Sir Rodney wears a blue overcoat in his first appearance, when he and Darcy first find out what's happening in France from Henri. He's also seen wearing it in the final scene. Inverted with the French soldiers wearing mostly blue and red uniforms. Bookends : The film starts at the guillotine and in the cases of Camembert and Bidet would end there too were it not for the final scene. Breaking the Fourth Wall : Sir Rodney and Jacqueline talk to the audience, when they first meet. Repeated when Rodney's with Desiree in the Rose garden.

And before that, briefly, with Camembert, after he sends Desiree after the Duke to find out info from him, then sends Bidet after her. Brick Joke : The Black Fingernail's disguises. In the penultimate scene it is coupled with an Oh Crap! moment from Camembert and Bidet when they realize just who the executioner is. Deadpan Snarker : Camembert and Sir Rodney. Surprisingly, Bidet also has moments of this. Landlady: There's nobody here, 'cept me, and I'm just going off. Citizen Bidet: She's gone off, if you ask me. Darcy also gets one. Citizen Camembert: Do I look like a man who sells funny postcards? Sir Rodney (Black Fingernail): Not a bit. Actually, you look more like the chappie on the funny postcard. [chuckles] Citizen Camembert: I hardly think that's possible. Lord Darcy: That's what I said to Rodney when I saw the postcard.

Delirious Misidentification : After Bidet is nearly blown up by the gunpowder in the Chateau Neuf, Camembert asks him if he is all right. Bidet briefly mistakes him for his mother. Disguised in Drag : The Black Fingernail, twice, disguised first as an old lady early on, then is caught by the police while masquerading as a woman, due to being out after curfew. Door Judo : Bidet attempts to break down the locked door of a room Sir Rodney was hiding in. As he completes his run-up, the door is opened, and he goes straight through the doorway, across the room, and out the window. The Door Slams You : In Calais, Bidet gets out of the coach and shuts the door behind him. Right in Camembert's face. At the Chateau Neuf, Bidet attempts to lock the double doors to prevent Sir Rodney's escape, and is slammed behind one of them as Lord Darcy and the Duke come to Sir Rodney's aid. When he recovers, he tries again, and is slammed behind the other door as the Duke re-enters the fight.

Double Entendre : There's at least one in almost every scene. Then again, it is a Carry On film so it wouldn't be the same without it. Camembert at the beginning when Bidet alerts him to Malabonce having put the first aristocrat the wrong way round in the guillotine (with his feet in the path of the blade). Camembert after a fair few Double Entendres made by others. Dressing as the Enemy : Sir Rodney poses as Robespierre to find out where Jacqueline is. Dude Looks Like a Lady : Camembert attempting to pass Jacqueline off as the Black Fingernail to Robespierre, who points out it's actually a woman. Camembert tries to justify it with this trope, and by saying that the Fingernail is a master of deception and rode all the way from Calais sidesaddle. Dumbass Has a Point : Bidet says that after Camembert has the Black Fingernail in his office disguised as a woman ( after they realize it ), that if they're quick, they can catch him before he can get out of the city, to which Camembert agrees.

Offset by the Black Fingernail disguising himself as their coachman to get through the roadblocks. He also brings up the locket at Ffing House and how the Black Fingernail could be capable of anything. Not only is he right, he reminds Camembert about the fact that he had the locket in the first place, giving the latter the idea to trap the Fingernail with it. Exact Words : Sir Rodney tells Desiree that if she helps him rescue Jacqueline, "[she'll] marry [her] title". However, he never said that title was him. Lampshaded in the final scene, where she ends up married to Pommfrit instead. Failed a Spot Check : Camembert and Bidet fail to notice a few times that some people they come across look the same or not what they're meant to look like, namely when Sir Rodney is in disguise, even when able to clearly see his face. This counts with Darcy and Pommfrit as well when they are dressed as soldiers, up until the scenes in the Chateau Neuf, where by now they know the truth. Fake Ultimate Hero : Rather odd example.

Pommfrit, at Sir Rodney's ball, gives a boastful and completely made up tale of how he escaped from the guillotine, claiming to have killed six or seven guards, single-handed. However, during the climactic final battle, he actually handles himself reasonably well. Fatal Flaw : Camembert's is Pride, thanks to his narcissism. It costs him dearly throughout the film and eventually it costs him not only his life, but Bidet's as well. Fate Worse Than Death : Sir Rodney references this trope when he wonders aloud what might be happening to Jacqueline inside the Bastille. Foreshadowing : Camembert says at the beginning that Malabonce will have to go. About fifteen minutes into the film, he does, courtesy of Camembert himself. Robespierre implicitly threatens Camembert twice and Bidet once with the guillotine early on in the film for their incompetence. This very fate befalls the two of them in the penultimate scene. Citizen Robespierre: Now, listen, Camembert. I want this Fingernail caught. Do you understand me?

Citizen Camembert: Yes, Citizen, but the trouble is, I don't know what he looks like. Nobody does! Citizen Robespierre: You'd better find out, or nobody will know what you look like! Citizen Camembert: Oh, everyone always recognizes me. Citizen Robespierre: Without a head? Citizen Camembert: [gasps] Citizen Robespierre: Now get out of here, and find him! Every time Desiree mentions marriage. In the final scene she is married, albeit to Pommfrit instead of Sir Rodney. Getting Crap Past the Radar : A lot of it. It is a Carry On film, after all. Lady Binder: You've always had magnificent balls, and I wouldn't miss one of them! When Camembert, Bidet and Desiree arrive at Ffing House. Citizen Camembert: [watching Desiree struggle to stand upright in the carriage] Well, come along. What's the matter with you? Desiree Dubarry: It's these humpback bridges and these English roads. I shan't be able to sit down for a week.

Citizen Camembert: [disgustedly] You shouldn't be so vulgar. Rodney disguises as an insurance salesman and says to Camembert: Sir Rodney (Black Fingernail): Are you fully covered? Citizen Camembert: [worried, protectively touching his chest] I hope so! Sir Rodney inspects the guillotine and claims that it's not working because of "a kink". The executioner refuses to believe that he's got a "kinky runner." "Play with it yourself later on, and watch it fall off in your hands!" By the way, it's Darcy talking about toy figures of aristocrats that can be beheaded by toy guillotines he's selling to the crowd. Gory Discretion Shot : Sort of. We only ever the blade of the guillotine falling and Bloodless Carnage , but the second time it happens in the first scene, Camembert's expression says it all. Gratuitous French : A few French phrases are used in the film, mainly "Ouvrez!" ("Open!") and "Mon Dieu!" ("My God!").

Even though most of the characters are born and raised French, some of them don't even know what some of the words mean. Citizen Camembert: He'll have to aller! Citizen Bidet: What? Citizen Camembert: He'll have to "go"! Heroes Gone Fishing : Literally at one point early on. Before we're properly introduced to Sir Rodney and Darcy, we see them with a couple of ladies, while the narrator describes their "normal and fashionable country pursuits" as hunting, shooting and fishing. High-Heelï¿½Face Turn : Desiree, mostly over her crush on The Black Fingernail. Meaningful Name : Malabonce. "Mal" is french for "bad" or "evil", and bonce is a term for "head". Very appropriate, given that his job's an executioner. Desiree. She desires to marry a "nice man with a fortune, and a Chateau, and a title." She is also the object of Pommfrit's desire and desires to be with Sir Rodney. In the end, she does get married, but not to Sir Rodney. Camembert as "the big cheese" .

Finally Robespierre, the only genuine figure from the time in the film. Mood Whiplash : Implemented at the beginning when the action first cuts from the Parisian square to the English countryside, in particular because of how the English aristocracy is oblivious (at first) of what is befalling their French counterparts. Ms. Fanservice : Jacqueline and Desiree both fall under this. In the final scene, they are married to Sir Rodney and Pommfrit respectively. Mugged for Disguise : Three of Camembert's guards, when Sir Rodney, Lord Darcy, and the Duke are rescuing Jacqueline. My God, What Have I Done? : Camembert about fifteen minutes into the film, after The Black Fingernail has tricked him into killing Malabonce with the guillotine and allowing the Duc de Pommfrit to escape. He even says "What have I done?" after doing it. Near the end, Camembert grabs a pike off the wall and attempts to run Sir Rodney through with it but misses and kills the soldier he was fighting, making a hilarious noise as it happens. Again, he says "What have I done?" Narcissist : Camembert.

If it wasn't for his bigheadedness and arrogance (which sometimes leads to incompetence on his part), he might have actually succeeded in capturing Sir Rodney. Examples: He's described in the opening voiceover as "the most dreaded man in all France", but, judging by the rest of the film, one can't help but wonder if it's a moniker he assigned to himself. Even when it's blatantly obvious he's caught Jacqueline instead of the Fingernail in disguise, he still can't own up to his mistake and starts trying to clutch at straws, and only stops when Robespierre yells at him to admit his error. He describes himself as "the finest pistol shot in France" and says the Fingernail is probably useless with any weapon, but Sir Rodney manages to get out of being killed by Camembert in their duel by tricking him into walking into the cesspit. When it's revealed he purloined the Chateau Neuf from a now-dead French prince (who he had likely had killed anyway), he simply sneers "Never mind Jacques.

I'm all right!" At the end, even when he is about to die, he still doesn't stop this, as he says he's the one who likely drew the crowd all on his own, wondering why on Earth anyone would want to see Bidet's head come off. Nice Job Fixing It, Villain! : Camembert revealing the plan about the trap to trap Sir Rodney in the Bastille and Jacqueline's whereabouts at the Chateau Neuf, in the case of the former while the good guys were hiding within earshot. Bidet near the end of the scene in the Chateau Neuf. He ran at Sir Rodney with an axe at the end of the climax but hit the pillar next to him instead, allowing the heroes to escape to avoid the inevitable collapse. Nobody Poops : Averted by Bidet's plan to find out a person's true gender, pointing out that the person will have to "go and powder his or her nose" sooner or later. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished : Robespierre wants the Black Fingernail caught and brought to him for screwing up the Revolution by rescuing aristocrats from the guillotine.

Not Even Bothering with the Accent : Although more than two-thirds of the cast are playing French characters, only Jacqueline (played by the French actress Dany Robin) actually speaks with a French accent. Obfuscating Stupidity : Sir Rodney and Darcy, but in particular Sir Rodney, when Camembert comes to England and tries to inquire about the Black Fingernail. Namelt so they don't give away the fact that the Black Fingernail is Sir Rodney himself. He also does this during the duel, and it gets him out alive. Desiree does this to cover up the fact that Sir Rodney smashed through a window to get into the Chateau Neuf, claiming to have accidentally broken it herself. Offscreen Teleportation : In Calais, Sir Rodney does this. He first appears on the roof of the coach, then suddenly he's at the door of the building moments later with no explanation as to how he was able to get there. Oh Crap! : Malabonce, seconds before he realizes Camembert is about to kill him with the guillotine as a result of The Black Fingernail's trick. Shortly followed by a My God, What Have I Done?

on Camembert's part. Camembert the first time Robespierre tells him he will be sent to the guillotine if he doesn't capture the Black Fingernail. Camembert has another when he realizes he has told the Black Fingernail (who was disguised at the time) where Jacqueline has been moved to, the one thing he wanted to keep secret. Bidet in the Powder Trail moment mentioned below, seconds before the explosion. Camembert in the Chateau when Bidet accidentally knocks a chunk out of the pillar. Both Camembert and Bidet at the end when it is revealed Sir Rodney is the executioner who is about to finish them both off. Camembert especially. Only One Name : Robespierre, Camembert and Bidet. If Robespierre is meant to be the actual figure his character is based on, his first name is Maximilien. As for Camembert and Bidet, we only know them as this. Jacqueline too. Sir Rodney reveals this is her first name when he realizes Camembert is laying a trap for him inside the Chateau Neuf, but that he still has to get her out.

Pair the Spares : Played straight with Desiree and Pommfrit, as they end up married in the final scene. Averted with Darcy. Pepper Sneeze : In a scene directly inspired by The Scarlet Pimpernel , Sir Rodney and Lord Darcy prank Camembert with pepper in his snuff. While they're preparing it, the pepper nearly makes Lord Darcy sneeze, and Sir Rodney holds it at bay with an Anti-Sneeze Finger . Pet the Dog : Camembert is most definitely a bad guy, but he still admires Bidet's faithfulness to him, as shown in this line: Camembert: Not all are as loyal to me as you are, my faithful Bidet. Pimped-Out Dress : A lot of them. Desiree wears a few, including the pink one at Ffing House and the one she acquires from the wardrobe at the Chateau Neuf. Jacqueline also wears one from when she's imprisoned in the Bastille to when she's seen again at the Chateau Neuf. Powder Trail : Used by Sir Rodney and his allies to set off a couple of powder kegs and blow a door open.

Impressively, the trail leads up a flight of steps at one point, and this apparently offers no obstacle to the spark. Punny Name : Sir Rodney Ffing — probably adding to the Fingernail's trademark of showing two fingers to the working class . Also, his name is pronounced " Effing ". Pommfrit in English (directly translated) is "potato chips". Carry On... Don't Lose Your Head Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 17 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Carry on chopping!! Aspect ratio: 1.66:1 Sound format: Mono During the French Revolution, the villainous Citizen Camembert (a perpetually outraged Kenneth Williams) goes in search of the notorious 'Black Fingernail' (Sid James), an unidentified British aristocrat who's been crossing the English Channel to rescue his French counterparts from the guillotine.

The second and final entry in the long-running series not to feature 'Carry On' in its title due to political fall-out from a change of UK distributor (the first was FOLLOW THAT CAMEL, released earlier the same year), DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD demonstrates yet again that screenwriter Talbot Rothwell was at his best when indulging his fondness for historical burlesque. Sumptuously mounted on various high-blown locations (including Clandon Park and Waddesdon Manor, with interiors filmed at Pinewood Studios), the film's ribald parody of the French Revolution encompasses everything from silly character names (Camembert is the local 'big cheese', aided and abetted by the gormless Citizen Bidet, while the Black Fingernail conceals his true identity under the foppish pseudonym of Sir Rodney Ffing - "with two F's!") to puns, sight gags and lowbrow slapstick. In other words, the formula as before. But like so many of the better "Carry On"s, the comedy is rooted in a well-developed storyline, augmented by the usual array of flamboyant characters and eccentric supporting players.

Highlights include Charles Hawtrey as a jolly French aristocrat, and Joan Sims as Williams' Cockney-spouting sister (Sims and Hawtrey share an unlikely seduction sequence midway through the film which culminates in a terrific 'please yourself' gag). Sid James and Jim Dale are the nominal heroes of the piece, camping it up with affectionate glee, while Peter Butterworth excels as Williams' dimwitted lackey, forever lusting after Sims and shouting: "Equality! Fraternity! Liberty!" (to which Sims retorts: "I don't care about the equalities and the fraternities, but I'm NOT having the liberties!"). But as usual, Kenneth Williams walks away with the picture, overplaying every gesture, emphasizing every double entendre, and milking every gag for all its considerable worth. An absolute comic gem! Director Gerald Thomas keeps the pot boiling throughout, and production values are solid. Watch out for a couple of mistakes which made it into the final print (Williams' hat being knocked by Butterworth in a cramped carriage, and Sims almost falling over whilst admiring a lovely new dress), betraying a rushed production schedule.

Favorite gag: Hawtrey brags to a group of young women that he escaped the guillotine by slaying half a dozen of his captors, and one gushing admirer declares: "What a bloody sight it must have been." Hawtrey, quick as a flash, retorts: "M'dear, if me sword hadn't broken, it'd have been a bloody sight more!" Genius. Was the above review useful to you? 8 out of 11 people found the following review useful: Ambitious and thoroughly satisfying spoof of the Scarlet Pimpernel. Highly quotable. Carry On Choppin'! 9.5/10. SPOILERS! 22 September 2002 *** This review may contain spoilers *** In `Don't Lose Your Head' (aka `Carry On Pimpernel') the Scarlet Pimpernel myth/legend is presented by the `Carry On' gang as an hysterical parody. Real revolutions are generally bloodthirsty, and often go wrong LONG before they achieve their aims. Oh YES, the peasants were revolting! Cheering the guillotine, they stank on ice!

This spoof by the double-entendre-gang stands unique among other Carry Ons, because it almost passes for serio-comedy, milking considerable drama and adventure from the story. It helps if you know a smattering of French, because the puns, especially the character names, rely on gag translations. There's also a touch of the Marx Brothers here, so SOMEONE had the right idea about its caliber! Without question, artistically this is the gem of the `Carry On' franchise. The film opens at a Paris guillotine. "What's the tally for the day so far?" asks the Secret Police's Citizen Camembert, the Big Cheese (Kenneth Williams). "Twenty-six set of aristo's", answers his toadying assistant Bidet (Peter Butterworth). " -Carry On Chopping!" cries Camembert, providing a thinly veiled alternate title.

Sir Rodney Ffing (Sidney James), and his "inseparable companion,' Lord Darcy Pew (Jim Dale) are two "fashionable layabouts" who do not discriminate between "a girl" and "a chap" in order to pursue "hunting", "shooting" and "fishing,' all of which amount to much the same thing. So, both "exceeding bored" by the "same old girls...same old balls,' they decide "to lift a finger, or two" over the French Revolution. Sir Rodney becomes the `Black Fingernail,' who always leaves his calling card at his rescues of French aristocrats from Madame La Guillotine. This of course "utterly bedevils" Robespierre (Peter Gilmore), Camembert's boss and the real zealot behind the Revolution. The leader of the Royalists, the Duc de Pommfrit (Charles Hawtrey), meanwhile, hilariously refuses to get off the execution cart to go to the guillotine because he's "just on the last chapter of the latest Marquis de Sade", and "Couldn't POSSIBLY put the book down".

We're even offered beheading jokes: "Your grace, there's an urgent letter for you!" " -Oh, drop it in the basket, I'll read it later" quips Pommfrit, who's definitely about "to have his chips" (a gag based on his name). When the blade gets stuck, he complains that "this would NEVER have happened under a ROYALIST government", to which Camembert snippily retorts, "-There's no need to make a political issue out of it!" (Now this really IS quite clever). When the Black Fingernail rescues Pommfrit, Robespierre threatens Camembert with the loss of his own head; so Camembert, his charge Desiree, and his trusty Bidet all pose as escaped French aristocrats in order to follow the Black Fingernail's trail back to England. Thus begins my favourite, the Calais scene, viz "Alais to Calais". At the chief exit port between France and England, Camembert encounters a border guard: "Listen, has anyone passed out within the hour?" he asks.

The guard (an Eric Idle-lookalike and soundalike) replies " -Only the sergeant, but he's sleepin' it orff now". Camembert presses on: "I'm looking for a woman". Guard: " -Aw, nothin' doin' out here, chum; you wanna try LaMatre!" In England, Sir Rodney meets Desiree (a very busty Joan Sims) at the ball, greeting her with "You're a picture M'moiselle...a trifle overexposed". But Camembert has come to the ball to sniff out The Black Fingernail. "We must be circumspect", he warns Bidet. "-Oh, I was, when I was a baby!" offers his illiterate assistant. Sims' ample endowments and the locket upon them are used both as a ruse to trap the Fingernail, as well as a running gag (thankfully without becoming crass). At the ball Sir Rodney realises that "Count Henri de LaPlume de MarTonte" is really Camembert, but he and Darcy `act natural' by indulging in a somewhat gay and anachronistic polka!

Still, Camembert manages to pick a pretext duel with Sir Rodney. "As the injured party, I have the choice of swords or pistols", he demands. "-Oh, we won't quarrel over that! You have the swords, I'll have the pistols" quips Sir Rodney in a gag that preempts `Raiders of the Lost Ark' by 14 yrs! With a decent plot and visually rich sets, the double-entendres are entirely at home in this spoof, providing more substance than other `Carry Ons.' It's difficult to fault either the screenplay or the cast; Peter Gilmore is an almost entirely serious(!) Robespierre, and Joan Sims, Jim Dale, and Charles Hawtrey are all in tune and excellent. Sidney James, sadly though, is too old to swash much buckle or woo Desiree, even as a ruse. Williams flares his nostrils and Butterworth puts up his dukes a few times too many, but otherwise everyone is pretty good. The screenplay delves into quite a few political issues for such a "fluff" movie.

There's no attempt, for instance, to gloss over the facile hubris of the aristocracy; conversely, the emotionally blunt populace cheering at the guillotine are most like Bidet, who is revealed as a bastard child and a dull, inept peasant. The supercilious Camembert is revealed as a grubby plutocrat, contemptuous of both peasants, and even the Revolution: "I DO wish you'd stop Vive-ing all over the place!" and, "Oh, I really hate these peasants; give me the aristocracy any time!". Talbot Rothwell's modest but clever screenplay adapts the Pimpernel legend/myth to suit the `Carry On' gang like a glove. It gives each castmember something to shine with, while still milking the inherent drama. The custom (ie not overdone) double-entendres still sound fresh, and serve to justify the plot adaptations; while the surgical casting allows the actors to successfully trade on their established quirks.

The one element that does fail is the story arc about the aging Black Fingernail's sudden "true love" Jacqueline (Dany Robin); their asides to camera are merely disruptive, and her Beatles-ed-up "He Loveth Me" harp scene is cringingly bad. Otherwise this is a hilarious spoof, good for laughs & quotes aplenty! 9.5/10. Was the above review useful to you? 5 out of 6 people found the following review useful: Scarlet Pimpernel, ooh I say madame from United Kingdom 7 September 2009 Dandy fop Sir Rodney Effing has an alter ego, The Black Fingernail. A man, who along with his partner, Lord Darcy Pue, rescue French aristocrats from the clutches of the revolutionary police chief, Citizen Camembert. Carry On producer Peter Rogers had severed his links with Anglo Amalgamated and swiftly signed up with Rank Organisation. Miffed at losing their number one cash franchise, and no doubt with a touch of petulance, Anglo's brass refused Rogers permission to using the "Carry On" prefix.

Thus this picture was initially released as just "Don't Lose Your Head" in 1966. Eventually common sense prevailed, and this rightly became known as the 13th franchise entry as "Carry On Don't Lose Your Head" {tho the American release of it being called "Carry On Pimpernel" makes better sense one feels}. Spoofing The Scarlet Pimpernel legacy with a ream of innuendo and double entendre's, the Carry On team deliver one of the better efforts from the series. This is in the main down to Talbot Rothwell's screenplay. Rothwell wrote the screenplay for 20 of the series efforts, he was someone who director and producer both trusted, and crucially that the cast also had faith in. Here his writing is excellent, if of course you be a fan of the saucy shenanigans that came with this particular part of British cinema that is?

With characters called Citizen Camembert {refered to as the big cheese, get it?}, Duc de Pommfrit, Citizen Bidet and Sir Rodney Effing {yes that's two F's}, Rothwell lets loose with wave after wave of cheeky dialogue, all delivered with comic aplomb from the likes of Sid James, Joan Sims, Kenneth Williams, Charles Hawtrey, Jim Dale and the undervalued Peter Butterworth. There's also a real good production from Rogers. Armed with £200,000, Rogers assembled a fine wardrobe of period costumes and hired out Clandon Hall, Cliveden House and Waddesdon Manor to give the story its 18th Century feel. It's also a film that asks of its stalwarts to do a little bit more than just say risqué lines and act the goat. Oh it's all still gaudy and simple in premise, for sure, but some nice swordplay and derring-do from the boys shouldn't go unnoticed. It of course is just like most of the others they made, a cheeky romp, but to me it's proof positive that the "Carry On" series had some crackers mixed in with the dregs.

Sit back and romp with the rompers I say. 7.5/10 Was the above review useful to you? 4 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Carry On Chopping! *** This review may contain spoilers *** SPOILERS AFOOT AND APLENTY This was the first quote in the film, quoted by Citizen Camemberet, the Chief of Secret Police during the French Revolution of 1789. Kenneth Williams is in a rather over-the-top persona for his character as he watches the Lords and Ladies of France lose their heads [literally!] by the dreaded blade of Madame La Guliotine. Tallying up the total of beheaded aristos for the day is his idiotic little runt of an accomplice, Citizen Bidet [Peter Butterworth]. Meanwhile, in England, the "toast of society", Sir Rodney Ffing [Two F's!] and Lord Darcy Pue [Jim Dale] are living the life of luxury, provided by horse riding, hunting, fishing ... and women! However, they are both bored stiff with living life of Riley ["same girls, same chaps, same balls!].

Their servant [Michael Ward] informs them of the crisis in France, so the Lords decide to "lend a hand". Sid James, in his usual character type, changes his voice tones from a nasal "posh" accent to his normal voice and dirty laugh and goes to Paris risk-willingly, with Jim Dale only too happy to follow and assist. Citizen Robspierre [Peter Gilmore] is far from happy with "The Big Cheese" Camemberet. He is disgusted with "The Black Fingernail's" [a.k.a "That Ffing!"] success in helping the aristocracy escape. Camemberet is facing his biggest challenge yet, the Duc de Pommfrit [Charles Hawtrey] in his usual character self ["Oh hello!"], who's head is due to roll the next day: "Don't worry, by this time tomorrow, the Duc de Pommfrit will definitley have had his chips!". The time comes for Pommfrit's execution, but he will not go up to the guliotine because he is too engrosed in a particular book.

Bidet is sent to fetch him, at which stage Peter Butterworth is given probably his best "Carry On" retort, directed at him of course [!]when he and Charles indulge in some Cockney criticism: Duc: "Everyone knows your father was a basket maker!", Bidet: "That's where your wrong, nobody knows who my father was, not even my mother!". The Black Fingernail, in the guise of an insurance salesman, manages to delibaratley break the behaeding apparatus, behead the executioner and free the Duc. When the guillotine breaks, the next great quote comes: Camemberet: "Sorry to keep you waiting your Grace", Duc: "This would never have happened under a ROYALIST government!", Camemberet: "There's no need to be personal!". Camemberet is then threatened with the loss of his own head, if the Fingernail's doesn't come off first. From the only clues that was left, a piece of paper portaying two fingers in the contemptive way and a false-teeth contained locket, it must be assumed that the Fingernail is an English aristo.

Camemberet, Bidet and the aforementioned's "bit-of-fluff" Desiree [Joan Sims] decide to head off to England to get clues. Hence the chance for another priceless quote when Bidet is eyeing-up the busty Desiree [Desiree: "Cammy, will you please tell this underling to take his eyes off me"/ Bidet: "Underling! We'll have no more of that talk, vie equality, vie fraternity, vie liberty/ Desiree: "I'm all for the eqaulity and the fraternity, but I'm not having the liberties!"], that being Joan's best ever "Carry On" retort. Meanwhile, en route back to England, Sid enters a tavern, and the room of a busty French waif [the late Dany Robin]. A chance for a bit of verbal love-making is produced before the police break in after the Fingernail has jumped out the window and away into the night. They suspect Jacqueline [the girl] of being a collabrator and arrest her. There is also a delightful cameo by Marianne Stone as the inn-keeper who is interrogated physically by Bidet: "And let that be a lesson to you woman!".

Kenneth, Joan and Peter sail across the channel and to the palace of Sir Rodney, not wanting to miss one of his balls [!]. Sid and Jim know Kenneth's game, that he is the "Big Cheese" himself and want to expose him. Joan Sims, after being attacked by the sex-mad Duc, places the distinguishing locket on her cleavage as she dances with all the men to try and "suss" the owner of the piece out. She then admits to fancying Sid and he promises to make her a lady if she gives him information about his captured love intrest. She throws herself at the unwilling Sid and is caught by Kenneth, who challenges him to a duel, which ends up a shambles. Kenneth, Joan and Peter go back to France, Kenneth and Peter still at risk of being headless and Joan not a lady. Sid, Jim and Charles follow to get Jacqueline back. They discover that Kenneth is chopping heads off the rich while living the life of luxury himself! The indulge in a grand finale, with the Brits launching an attack on Kenneth's mansion, and the defated figure has to stand and watch as all his antiques are destroyed.

Sid finally rescues the girl, with the help of Joan. The house ends up collapsing with Kenneth and Peter inside and Sid, Jim, Charles, Joan and Dany Robin running for safety. We are then taken back to Madame La Gulliotine, where Kenneth and Peter are about to disobey the title's advice. Kenneth: "Thank goodness the Fingernail isn't here to see this". Then Sid lift's the executioner's mask, brings down the blade and gives his trademark dirty laugh. Sid and Dany are lord and lady at Sid' mansion with Joan being Lady de Pommfrit: Joan: "Well this is a fine way to keep aa bargain, I must say!"/ Sid: "What's the matter with you, you wanted a title and he's got one"/ Joan: "I hate to think what it is!". Sid gives his dirty laugh and the film draws to a close. Overall, "Carry On ... Don't Lose Your Head" is a masterpiece at describing English-French unrest history in a comedy sense. The film was called "Don't Lose Your Head" at first, but then re-released with "Carry On" added to it, which gave it bigger profit.

A ten out of ten for this film and a must see for any "Carry On" fan. Laugh if you must, but take my advice, don't lose your head! Was the above review useful to you? 3 out of 4 people found the following review useful: Carry On's lavish costume comedy from United Kingdom 21 April 2012 CARRY ON DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD was made at the peak of the popularity of the Carry On films, where they could afford to splash out on lavish sets, costumes and locations in movies set in various historical eras. It's a pretty typical entry in the film series, and not the most appealing one I've seen; by now, at least half of the jokes were feeling quite stale, to me, and not a patch on the CARRY ONs of seven, eight years before. That being said, there's still much to enjoy here, and aficionados of the films will be in their element. A delightfully weaselly Kenneth Williams camps it up as Citizen Camembert, Robespierre's right-hand man whose job it is to outwit the Black Fingernail, a masked folk hero who keeps on freeing aristocrats from the guillotine.

Sid James bags the role of the Fingernail and appears to be in his element, with plenty of his trademark dirty laughter and energy to spare. He's supported by a virtually wasted Jim Dale, whose role seems to be entirely redundant, and Joan Sims in one of those nagging wife type roles she always seemed to occupy in later years. The best cast members are Charles Hawtrey as the fey Duc de Pommfrit and Peter Butterworth as the befuddled Citizen Bidet. The gags set in and around the guillotine are by far my favourite parts of this movie, although there's a rousing and elaborate sword-fight at the climax to get your teeth into. CARRY ON DON'T LOSE YOUR HEAD also contains one of my favourite gags of all time: Hawtrey is brought a letter just as he's about to be beheaded, and he tells the messenger to drop it into the basket where he'll "read it later". Class stuff. Was the above review useful to you? So you're the one looking for the black fingernail.

26 January 2016 *** This review may contain spoilers *** There is no doubt about it, Carry on don't lose your head is one of the funniest entries in the series, an utterly joyful film that is funny from start to finish. The backdrop of the French revolution is a real goody, the story line is actually really well devised also it works so well. The characters Thomas managed to create in this film are even bigger, bolder and more flamboyant then normal. The English/French humour is always really funny and this is massively played on, there's always been a great humour between the Brits and our French cousins. Kenneth Williams is on his absolute best form, he gets to totally camp it up and add his snideness. Sid James is great as our hero, Joan Sims is utterly delightful, what a pretty woman she was. As for Charles Hawtrey, I think after Camping it is my favourite performance from him, the best sequence has to be during Sir Rodney's ball and Camembert says to Pommfrit 'So you're the one looking for the black fingernail,' to which he produces a small hammer and hits his finger.

One of many golden comedy sequences, the duel too and siege scenes are funny too. One of those films I never tire of, I love it. 9/10 Was the above review useful to you? A delightful send-up of "The Scarlet Pimpernel" 16 February 2013 *** This review may contain spoilers *** The "Carry On" films are a variable lot, but this take on The Scarlet Pimpernel is one of the funniest. (In its initial script, the movie was actually entitled Carry On Chopping and it was actually released in some areas as Carry On Pimpernel). True, some might argue that the French Revolution does not lend itself to a farcical approach, and it does seem at first that the idea of introducing the guillotine as a venue for satire and knockabout comedy is in extremely bad taste. Fortunately, it soon emerges that the movie is not primarily a take-off on the French Revolution (as a smartypants newsreel commentator implies as soon as the picture starts), but is actually a send-up of the Baroness Orczy novel, The Scarlet Pimpernel and its 1935 picturisation with Leslie Howard.

No more dramatic a contrast to Howard could possibly be provided than Sid James, who has one of his best roles ever as Sid Rodney Ffing (I won't spoil the joke for you by pronouncing it). The scenario is full of the most ludicrous double entendres which all the players (except Jim Dale) heartily relish. Indeed, Kenneth Williams is often tempted to have too grand a time, but he receives such hilarious support from Peter Butterworth that we will excuse him. The only aspect of the movie I didn't really like (and speaking of aspects, full marks to Joan Sims and Dany Robin) was its over-produced slapstick finale. Otherwise, Talbot Rothwell has given us a really colorful script. Producer Peter Rogers has loosened the purse strings on this one and even Gerald Thomas has risen to the occasion with direction that can only be described as remarkably proficient. Was the above review useful to you? Carry On Pimpernel 25 January 2012 *** This review may contain spoilers *** This film might not have the words 'Carry On' in the title but it is part of the series in all but name; and one of the better ones.

Set during the French revolution when the aristocracy are loosing their heads to the guillotine two English gentlemen; Sir Rodney Ffing and his friend Lord Darcy Pue decide that something must be done. They head to France and start rescuing aristos from under the nose of chief of the secret police Citizen Camembert and his sidekick Citizen Bidet. Each time they leave their calling card; a hand giving the V-sign with one black fingernail. After rescuing the Duke De Pommfrit they head to Calais and escape with the help of a local girl. She is captured and Camembert hatches a plan; he will go to England and let it be known that the girl is due to be executed; knowing that the 'Black Fingernail' is bound to try to rescue her. Like many of the historical Carry Ons this is one of the better films in the series; Sid James is great as Ffing; laughing in a way only he could; Kenneth Williams is suitably obsequious as his nemesis Camembert and Charles Hawtrey is on fine form as De Pommfrit, the giggling French aristo.

The jokes are plentiful and for the most part fairly clean; it certainly lacks the smut of later outings; the only slight naughtiness is in how attention is constantly drawn to Joan Sims heaving bosom, although even this is done in a fairly innocent way. Many films in the series lacked any real plot but not this one; the retelling of the Pimpernel story is well handled; not only does it feature lots of laughs it also has some entertaining actions scenes. I'd certainly recommend watching this if you see it in the TV schedule; even if you haven't enjoyed other Carry On films there is a good chance this will give you a laugh. Was the above review useful to you? 1 out of 2 people found the following review useful: Ffing good! from Hampshire, England 28 January 2015 Having been replaced by Harry H.

Corbett for Carry On Screaming following a heart attack, Sid James rejoins the Carry On line-up for Don't Lose Your Head and puts in one of his funniest performances ever as British dandy Sir Rodney Ffing, who, along with his good friend Lord Darcy Pue (Jim Dale), travels to France to rescue French aristocrats from the guillotine. Whether camping it up in powdered wig and make up while affecting a lisp as the effete Ffing, or cutting a dash as his daring alter ego The Black Fingernail, James can do no wrong, milking every gag for all its worth, wringing laughs from even the corniest double entendre. Sid's most definitely back and he's loving every minute! The rest of the regulars are also on fine form: Dale is delightful as Ffing's foppish pal Darcy, Williams plays the part of French Chief of Secret Police Camembert with gusto, Hawtrey is hilarious as wimpish aristocrat Duc de Pommfrit, Peter Butterworth does bumbling brilliantly as Citizen Bidet, and the lovely Joan Sims (my favourite Carry On performer) is utterly charming as ample-bosomed Désirée Dubarry.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that they're working with such a wonderful script, which is sharper than the blade on Madame la Guillotine: the gags flow thick and fast, with fantastic puns, impeccable innuendo, cheesy one-liners, and even a couple of wonderful moments where the characters break the fourth wall to address the audience. After much hilarity, viewers are treated to a rousing finale featuring a surprisingly well choreographed sword-fight scene involving James, Hawtree and Dale (Sid seems remarkably sprightly for a man whose recently had a heart attack!) and lots of knockabout stunts, including copious chandelier swinging. It's a great way to conclude what proves to be one of the most enjoyable entries in the series. Was the above review useful to you? 1 out of 2 people found the following review useful: A Black Fingernail determined not to become a hanging fingernail. from Edinburgh. 9 January 2011 This time around the Carry On team put their comedic spin on the French Revolution, of all things, and the result is a movie that's up there with the very best of the franchise.

Sid James is The Black Fingernail when he rescues those about to meet le guillotine and Sir Rodney Ffing when he is mixing in polite society. He's aided and abetted by Lord Darcy Pue (Jim Dale) and, together, the daring duo always manage to upset the French authorities while also staying one step ahead of the game. Citizen Camambert (Kenneth Williams) and Citizen Bidet (Peter Butterworth) are the men tasked to bring The Black Fingernail's antics to an end but that's no easy feat. Gerald Thomas is in the director's chair, as usual, and Talbot Rothwell is on scripting duties so there's nothing radically different here. As well as the regulars mentioned above we get Charles Hawtrey as the effete Duc De Pommfrit and Joan Sims playing Desiree Dubarry. Despite some of the other regulars being missing this time around you never really notice anything lacking because this film is so packed with great wit, farcical moments and a mix of swashbuckling nonsense and energy that puts the later, and slightly similar, Carry On Dick to absolute shame.

One of the very best Carry Ons from, arguably, their peak period. Even if you dislike some of the other entries in the series you should have some fun with this one. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 2: Watch "Don't Lose Your Head" (1966) Free Online Duration: 90 min Don't Lose Your Head is the thirteenth in the series of Carry On films to be made. It features regular team members Sid James , Kenneth Williams , Jim Dale , Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims . French actress Dany Robin makes her only Carry on appearance in Don't Lose Your Head. It was released in 1966.... Show More Don't Lose Your Head is the thirteenth in the series of Carry On films to be made. It features regular team members Sid James , Kenneth Williams , Jim Dale , Charles Hawtrey and Joan Sims . French actress Dany Robin makes her only Carry on appearance in Don't Lose Your Head. It was released in 1966. Set in France and England in 1789 during the French Revolution, it is a parody of Baroness Orczy's The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Show Less Don't Lose Your Head (1966) - Gerald Thomas - film review Don't Lose Your Head (1966) aka: Carry on Pimpernel Synopsis & Film Review This article is protected by copyright and must not be copied. In the early 1790s, a bloody tide of revolution sweeps across France. Supporters of the old order, the châteauneuf-swigging aristocrats, are losing their heads by the cartload, thanks to a new nifty little device called the guillotine (the world's first disposable razor). The man charged with eradicating France's hated nobility is Citizen Camembert, Robespierre's chief of secret police, and his faithful stooge, Citizen Bidet. The heads fall, the crowds roar and Camembert can look forward to a comfortable retirement. Meanwhile, across the channel in England, life goes on as usual. Sir Rodney Ffing and his friend Lord Darcy Pue have grown tired of their genteel life and, hearing about what is happening in France, they decide to embark on a great adventure.

Adopting various disguises, they make a habit of snatching the condemned aristos from the scaffold and smuggling them to the safety of good old England. On each occasion, they leave behind a calling card depicting a pair of fingers, one with a black fingernail. Understandably, Citizen Robespierre is none too pleased by this development and warns Camembert that if he botches the execution of the Duke de Pommfrit his will be the next head on the block. Not only does the mysterious 'Black Fingernail' succeed in rescuing Pommfrit from right under his very nose, but Camembert assists in the beheading of his own executioner. As he beats a hasty retreat to England, Sir Rodney evades capture with the help of a beautiful young French girl, Jacqueline. The dastardly Camembert takes Jacqueline prisoner and devises a foolproof plan to use her as bait to catch the Black Fingernail... The egalities and fraternities may have fallen by the wayside, but the Carry On team clearly couldn't resist taking more than a few liberties with the French Revolution in this hilarious spoof of Baroness Orczy's novel The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Don't Lose Your Head was the first Carry On film to be made after the switch of distributor, from Anglo Amalgamated to the Rank Organisation. Rank weren't keen on the Carry On prefix and so it was dropped for this and the next film in the series, Follow That Camel (1967), but was hastily reinstated when these films fared poorly at the box office compared with previous Carry Ons. What is most striking about Don't Lose Your Head is how lavish it looks, with its expansive and detailed sets, ornate costumes and appealing cinematography. Visually, it compares well with the big budget period dramas of the time, even though, like most of the Carry Ons of this era, it was shot in just six weeks on a shoestring budget of £150,000 ( Thunderball , the most recent Bond movie, had cost more than ten times that amount). At this stage, the Carry On production team, which included some exceptionally talented designers and technicians, had made low budget filmmaking into an art.

The team had the good fortune to shoot much of the film on location at two stately homes, Cliveden House and Waddesdon Manor, (both within a stone's throw of Pinewood Studios, where the Carry Ons were filmed), which upped the production values immensely. As well as being one of the most visually impressive of the Carry Ons, Don't Lose Your Head offers a torrent of gags (from the ribald pen of Talbot Rothwell), served up with their usual mix of aplomb and eccentricity by the Carry On regulars. Kenneth Williams and Peter Butterworth steal the show with their magnificent double act, with Charles Hawtrey and Jim Dale lending support in the visual gags department. Meanwhile, Sid James's impression of a Regency fop has to be seen to be believed (and even then it takes some believing) and, for once, Joan Sims gets to play the glamour girl, looking stunning in her period costume. Dany Robin, a well-known French actress at the time, is the guest artiste, taking the part that would otherwise have gone to Angela Douglas.

(Not long after appearing in this film, Robin would marry Sid James's agent, Michael Sullivan, and give up acting altogether.) Playing the fearsome fun-loving psychopath Robespierre is Peter Gilmore, the future star of the long-running BBC television series The Onedin Line. Jacqueline Pearce, later to be known as Servalan in the cult BBC TV series Blake's Seven, appears in one brief scene; the same year she met a nasty end in two notable Hammer horror films - The Plague of the Zombies (1966) and The Reptile (1966) - so no wonder she ended up playing a power-crazed megalomaniac. As ever, there's absolutely no shortage of talent on either side of the camera in this Carry On extravaganza. In common with many of the Carry Ons, the standing of Don't Lose Your Head has improved greatly since the film was first released. With its exceptional production values, delightfully over-the-top performances and barrage of gags, it is one of the classier and more enjoyable entries in the series.

It is to be noted for the extended swordfight sequence at the end of the film, which is one of the longest of its kind in any British film (and certainly one of the funniest).

Question: French actress Dany Robin made her only ‘Carry On’ appearance in which 1966 film?
Answer: Don’t Lose Your Head